Dallas Mavericks (67-15)
The Dallas Mavericks didn’t do much this summer, except try to shake off the memory of losing to Golden State in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs following their historical 67-win season.

The Mavs elected to keep most of their team intact, hoping to improve on a good thing. New additions include Eddie Jones a veteran guard/ forward who can shoot and play defense, free agent Brandon Bass and rookie Nick Fazekas who deepen the forward position.

The Mavs backcourt consists of fast players who have shown consistent improvement. Point guard Devin Harris impressed management enough to earn a 5-year contract extension. He averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game last season. Harris’ speed is difficult for opposing teams to handle, but his leadership skills are going to need to improve. Shooting guard Jason Terry is another speedy threat. He averaged 16.7 points and 5.2 assists last year. Terry is a strong, fast defender who can shoot from anywhere on the court.

Veteran Eddie Jones will back up both guard positions which should should provide Terry with more opportunities to score. Dallas averaged fewer than 20 assists per game last season and will need to improve. Hopefully, Eddie Jones and Jose Barea will accomplish this task.

Last year’s MVP, Dirk Nowitzki, led the team with 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. One would expect a seven footer to get those stats in the paint, but Dirk is an outside shooter and must improve his post-up game. As proven by the Warriors, triple teaming Dirk is highly effective so his supporting needs to become more of a scoring threat. Erick Dampier, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagana Diop, and Josh Howard need to pick up the slack and force other teams to spread their defenses.

Josh Howard could be the “it” factor for the Mavs this year. He’s difficult to defend, his stats actually improved during the Golden State series and he’s got leadership abilities.

San Antonio Spurs (58-24)
The Spurs were NBA Champions last season. They marched through the playoffs, and everything fell into place as if by clockwork. The only difference between last year’s team and this one is that everybody is a year older. This could be a concern for the Spurs who had the oldest team in the league last season. The only major changes to the Spurs club was the loss of their assistant GM, Sam Presti, to the Seattle Supersonics. The Spurs also added free agent Ime Udoka to the roster. Hopes are high that he can eventually fill the role as a Bruce-Bowen-type player for the Spurs.

While the “big fundamental” isn’t a flashy nickname, it’s an accurate assessment of Tim Duncan and every aspect of his game. He led his team in three categories last season, averaging 20 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. He’s a nine-time All Star and has been on the All-Defensive team 10 times. He's a two-time NBA MVP and has been MVP of the finals 3 times. Don’t expect any changes in his game. Duncan will continue to dominate the league at the power forward position with his finely tuned skills.

Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto round out the frontcourt perfectly while capable replacements Robert Horry and Francisco Elson will fill in with quality minutes. Bruce Bowen receives the call when it comes to tough defensive assignments, and he’s always ready to oblige, often to the dismay of opposing players who don’t appreciate his “tenacious” defense. Bowen isn’t getting any younger, hence the acquisition of a player like Ime Udoka.

The Spurs backcourt is equally impressive. Tony Parker led the team in assists with 5.5 per game. He continues to drive and weave to the basket, frustrating defenders. Look for Parker to improve his game, especially his outside shooting which will make him even more difficult to defend. Former Jazzman Jacque Vaughn has developed into a capable point guard, able to direct the Spurs offense and provide frontline defense of the opposition. Manu Ginobili is one of the most formidable sixth men in the league. He led the team with an average of 1.5 steals per game. He’s another tenacious defender who provides an unparalleled spark off of the bench.

Gregg Popovich, in his 12th season, has a career record of 576-276 (.676). He’ll continue his tenure in the same manner; like clockwork. Barring a major catastrophe, expect the Spurs to be in the NBA finals; like clockwork.

Houston Rockets (52-30)
At the commencement of the 2006-07 season, the Rockets were thought of as a Western Conference powerhouse. Unfortunately, their two superstars (center Yao Ming and guard Tracy McGrady) missed a combined total of 45 games due to injury. Houston still won 52 games and proved a challenging opponent for the Utah Jazz in the hard fought first-round playoff series.

The Rockets were busy during the off-season. They hired 17-year veteran coach, Rick Adelman and acquired seven new players including former Rocket Steve Francis and FIBA Americas MVP Luis Scola. They lost forward Juwan Howard, guard Vassilis Spanoulis and center Jake Tsakalidis.

While multiple guards will compete for time, there is a question about who will help Yao in the paint. The Rockets signed free agent forward Mike Harris, traded for Justin Reed and Luis Scola and drafted Carl Landry. Shane Battier, who averaged 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists, should start at small forward, and Bonzi Wells will play back up. Wells averaged 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game last season.

Look for Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes to compete for the power forward position and for grizzled veteran Dikembe Mutombo to back up Yao.

New Orleans Hornets (39-43)
The key word this year for the Hornets is “injuries”. As in, "don’t have any more." Last year, the team was plagued with injuries. As the Hornets start the new season back in their hometown of New Orleans, they need a healthy team to compete and fill the seats.

Former Rookie of the Year, Chris Paul, sharp-shooter and All-Star, Peja Stojakovic, and David West all spent significant time off of the court last season. Additionally, Marc Jackson and Bobby Jackson each missed 26 games.

When healthy, Chris Paul averaged 17.3 points, 8.9 assists and 1.8 steals. He hopes to return to form and lead the Hornets at point guard. Shooting guard Mo Peterson signed a four-year contract this summer. He averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 rebounds last season. A seven-year veteran, Peterson can fill Peja Stojakovic’s spot at guard. Stojakovic played only 13 games for New Orleans after moving from Indiana last season. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists for the Hornets. He recently underwent surgery for his back. Although his rehabilitation has gone well, the Hornets will look to Mo Peterson to play some big minutes.

Center Tyson Chandler has shown promise and improvement, especially with his jump shot. He averages 12.4 rebounds, 9.5 points and 1.8 blocks per game. Power forward David West embodies his position. In 52 games last season, he averaged 18.3 points and 8.2 rebounds.

While Coach Byron Scott could use more depth, the players he has are talented. They managed a 39-43 record last year, despite their travails. If everyone can stay healthy, they’ll make a move to the playoffs.

Memphis Grizzlies (22-60)
Last year, the Memphis Grizzlies finished dead last in the NBA standings.

The team has a new general manager, Chris Wallace, and a new head coach, Marcus Iavaroni. Iavaroni plans to improve the team through defense since the Grizz didn’t play much of it last year. Team newcomers reflect the defensive philosophy of the new head coach. These new additions also fit the up- tempo play Iavaroni was used to during the five seasons he spent in Phoenix as an assistant coach.

The focal point of the Memphis roster is again Pau Gasol. Gasol was injured much of last season and played only 59 games for Memphis. The Grizzlies found out the hard way that in games where Gasol plays; they have had a winning record. When he’s not in the game, they lose. It’s essential that Gasol stay healthy and happy. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted out last season; however, the addition of his former Spanish teammate and best friend, Juan Carlos Navarro, has sweetened his disposition.

The Grizzlies are a deep, talented team. The backcourt will be led by Mike Conley Jr., 4th pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft. He’s a quick, talented ball-handler. Kyle Lowry, a 1st-round pick in 2006, is also a speedster who will work with Conley Jr. to implement the style of offense Coach Iavaroni is looking for. Navarro makes the guard pool even deeper. Mike Miller is a talented shooter, passer and dribbler who spent the summer helping the US National Team win the FIBA Americas title.

Depth isn’t exclusive to the Memphis backcourt; the frontcourt is loaded as well. The Grizzlies picked up free agents Darko Milicic at center who can block shots and score in the post. They also signed forwards Casey Jacobsen and Andre Brown. Casey Jacobsen and Stromile Swift will provide some good back-up minutes.

If Marcus Iavaroni has his way, the new and improved Grizzlies will push the ball up the floor and play hard defense. If they can assimilate as a team, the Grizzlies have a chance to reach the first round of the playoffs this year.

-By Annie Whittaker